Laia Riera Sanjaume

"Homesickness, in English, heimweh in German, mal du pays in French, ….Enyorar in Catalan, my mother tongue…Saudade in Portuguese…are just few of the examples to start describing this peculiar journey that brought me to apply for the Sarkia residence.

And that today I can say I quite “achieved” it. At least, the starting point is a very good achievement, or so I want to believe.

Proud of living in a foreign land, being able to submit to a residence to write, paint and develop my first graphic , sort of, novel.

Proud as well of being again an immigrant, this time, further up in the North, this time deeper than any of the previous times. This time for love, for art, for myself, for the sake of existing.

This time FINLAND. SUOMI. To the day, Finland is still full of shadows, nuances, mysteries to be unfold.

(...)

Obviously to all, it is of quite negative connotation the homesickness. At the same time, it can lead to some extend to surprising positive situations.

In my case, had been always an ambivalent feeling, sensation, perception and finally, a reaction.

After the reaction, as some psychologists might say, it comes a response.

*******

As per said, the iceberg tip or , let’s say, the landmark of this year and four months in Finland…had been Villa Sarkia residence.

This month of intensive creativity and reclusion in Sysmä allowed some ghosts to reappear and some to fade away from my sketches and writings.

Through books of Shamanism in Lapland, Finland old traditions and customs, Kalevala epic English version and my solitude and sub-exile (within an exile) I exited with a clearer project in my hands.

With the perspective that only time provides us, and prove us, my experience at Villa Sarkia residence stands for multiple achievements in a common ground. " <<<